Buffalo Cauliflower
4.2
(17)
This easy recipe for Buffalo cauliflower bites has everything you love about Buffalo chicken wings—with none of the meat. Cookbook author and James Beard–nominated chef Dale Talde uses twice-cooked cauliflower florets for his vegetarian spin on the Super Bowl standby. While it might seem fussy to roast a whole head of cauliflower only to break it up before sautéing the florets with Buffalo sauce, Talde takes this approach for a reason: Once the cauliflower is roasted, the florets practically fall off the core, eliminating some of the tricky knife work usually required when cutting the raw vegetable. Precooking also ensures each bite is fully tender before searing and glazing.
For Talde’s version of Buffalo wing sauce, you’ll mix melted butter with a 50-50 mixture of sriracha and Frank’s Red Hot sauce to give the glaze a garlicky kick. The resulting crisp-tender bites make an elite addition to any game day spread—or a delicious side dish or vegetarian taco filling.
Talde ousts classic blue cheese dressing, opting instead to crumble blue cheese right over the saucy Buffalo cauliflower “wings.” They’d still benefit from a small bowl of ranch dressing on the side, though—or make a shortcut dip by spiking mayo with garlic powder, onion powder, lemon juice, and dill. Final tip: Don’t forget the celery sticks. The cooling crunch makes the spicy bites all the better.
Recipe information
Total Time
1 hour
Yield
2–4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 375°F.
Step 2
Cut the stalk end off the cauliflower so the head sits flat and place it on a large baking sheet. Rub 2 Tbsp. of the canola oil all over the cauliflower, season to taste with salt and pepper, and roast until the outside starts to brown, about 30 minutes.
Step 3
Transfer the cauliflower to a cutting board and let cool. Once the cauliflower is cool enough to handle, cut or break it into small florets.
Step 4
In a medium saucepan over moderate heat, bring the hot sauce and sriracha to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer then slowly whisk in the butter until fully incorporated, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool.
Step 5
In a large, deep sauté pan over moderate heat, warm the remaining 1 teaspoon canola oil. Add the cauliflower florets, season to taste with salt and pepper, and sauté until heated through, about 5 minutes. Add enough Buffalo sauce to coat the cauliflower and continue sautéing until both the cauliflower and the sauce are hot, about 5 minutes. Transfer the cauliflower to a platter and garnish with the crumbled blue cheese.
Do Ahead: The cauliflower can be roasted, cooled, and cut into florets several hours in advance. Cover the florets and keep them in the refrigerator until ready to use (you may need to sauté them slightly longer if refrigerated). The Buffalo sauce can be prepared, cooled, and kept in an airtight container in the refrigerator, up to 3 days.
Editor’s note: This recipe first appeared on Epicurious in January 2015. Find more Super Bowl appetizers here →
Prefer a totally hands-off method? You could air fry the baked cauliflower to get each piece crispy (here’s our favorite air fryer), before saucing. Toss the air-fried “wings” in a large bowl with the reduced sauce. Or, spread the baked and sauced florets in a single layer on a baking sheet to broil until lightly charred. Either way, no breading or cornstarch is required, since the glaze will adhere easily once the cauliflower is cooked.
Recipe notes
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